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KUT News

October 13, 2016

Why Are There So Many Crickets Around Austin This Time of Year?

Every year they invade Austin in loud swarms – eating, drinking, mating. No, it’s not the throngs of ACL or South by Southwest. We’re talking about the crickets.

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September 28, 2016

Why Does It Take So Long to Get Anything Built in Austin?

Austin residents are no strangers to orange cones dotting the highways or construction cranes in the sky. But one KUT listener wondered: Why does it take so long to get anything built around here?

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September 21, 2016

🎼How Did Austin Become the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’? 🎶

Regardless of what you think of Austin calling itself the “Live Music Capital of the World,” you’ve got to admit it is pretty effective branding. Even people who don’t like music, and who’ve never been here, equate the city with a vibrant scene.

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August 24, 2016

Why Are Grocery Stores So Hot for Hatch Chile Peppers? 🌶

Austin’s love affair with Hatch chile peppers comes and goes every August. Did you ever wonder why grocery stores get so excited about Hatch?

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July 28, 2016

Is Austin Still Keeping It Weird?

“Keep Austin Weird.” The phrase is printed on T-shirts, bumper stickers, posters; it’s part of Austin’s national reputation. But, it seems that for every pocket of weird, there’s a new corporate chain from California moving in.

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May 26, 2016

What Happens To Austin’s Recycling? ♻️

Many people think of recycling as somehow both mundane and mysterious. So, we followed a 12-ounce can of Coke.

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March 31, 2016

Everything You Wanted To Know About Grackles

They’re annoying. They’re mean. They’re filthy. But we love to hate them.

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March 11, 2016

What’s the Story Behind the ‘Fair Sailing Tall Boy’ Memorial?

You’ve probably seen this memorial if you’ve ever driven on Lamar Blvd in Austin. It’s right there, on the pillar holding up the train bridge where Third Street crosses Lamar. It says: “Fair Sailing Tall Boy. Ivan Garth Johnson. Not forgotten. 1971 – 1989. Don’t Drink and Drive, You Might Kill Someone’s Kid.”

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About

ATXplained is a crowdsourcing project for KUT News. You ask a question about Austin, our reporters research it and try to answer it.
Here’s where you can submit your question about Austin.

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ATXplained is “hosted” by the entire KUT newsroom.

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